Marque quells SUV talk

McLaren has used the launch of its track-focused 675LT to shut down any speculation that it intends to add an SUV to its range. Wayne Bruce, global communications director at McLaren Automotive, says: “There are no current plans or need for an SUV. “Our business is sports cars — that’s what our customers want, so we’ll leave SUVs for others to do.” With Porsche going gangbusters with its Cayenne and Macan SUVs, and Lamborghini and Maserati having green lights to build their own, only Ferrari and McLaren are resisting the move. Bruce also outlined McLaren’s production plans over the next few years. “In 2014 we sold 1,648 cars, which was a 20 per cent increase on 2013, which was itself up on the previous year,” he says. “This year, we want to do 1,800 units, in 2016 the forecast is to build 3000 cars and in 2017, when the full Sports Series is available in three different body styles, we should be able to do 4000 cars per annum – a mix of limited production cars and series production cars like the 570S Coupe.” The company has already delivered more than 248 examples of the McLaren P1 road-going track car – around two-thirds of the car’s 375 unit run. McLaren’s production model relies on a three-tier system, which encompasses the Sports Series, 540C Coupe and 570S Coupe, Super Series, 650S Coupe, 650S Spider and 675LT, and Ultimate Series, McLaren P1 GTR and McLaren P1. Crucial to McLaren’s forecast production numbers is the Sports Series, the most affordable McLaren series, which will seek to put the brand in front of an entirely new audience. A second body style will be introduced in 2016, followed by another in 2017, which McLaren hopes will lead to a doubling of production numbers. Production of the 650S Coupe and Spider begins this month, with McLaren claiming the latter car is the only current open-roof, mid-engine sports car capable of more than 322kph.